Pakistan: Calamitous rains wreak havoc in Punjab and KP, claim 37 lives

LAHORE: Widespread rains wreaked havoc in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces leaving at least 30 persons dead in Punjab and seven in KP in various rain-related incidents, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Heavy rainfall in Lahore since last night submerged several areas of the provincial capital city as main traffic arteries drowned under the rainwater.

Around 10 people killed across the city in fatal incidents of electrocution and falling rooftops during the downpour that started at 9:10 PM on Tuesday night.

Two children, 15-year-old Awais and 13-year-old Esha died in an electrocution incident in Harbanspura of Lahore.

Separately, five persons of a family died and two injured when a rooftop collapsed at Muridwal in Thokar Niaz Beg, while three others died and scores were injured as a roof caved in in Raiwind.

Moreover, seven persons lost their lives in various incidents of roof collapse in Faisalabad.

Three people died each in Bahawalnagar and Okara in rain-related incidents, two at Pakpatan and one each in Sahiwal and Arifwala, according to reports.

In Bahawalnagar, two children, 8-year-old Salman and 10-year-old Saifullah, died when the roof of a madrasa collapsed in Manchanabad. Scores of others were injured in the incident. In another accident, 10-year-old Ali Jan died after an electric pole fell on him in Madinah Town, leaving another child injured.

In Okara, a lightning strike near Head Sulemanki claimed the lives of 16-year-old Anam and 17-year-old Asad, while one person sustained injuries.

In KP seven people died across the province in devastating rainfall in various districts.

The Met Office and the PDMA have predicted heavy rainfall during next 24 hours under the third monsoon spell in Punjab.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab has advised citizens to observer caution amid heavy downpour.

The Water and Sanitation Agency said, Lahore’s Paniwala Talab recorded the highest rainfall at 171mm, followed by Iqbal Town with 169 mm. Other areas, including Tajpura, Samanabad and Lakshmi Chowk, also received more than 100mm of rain.